Museums, Hiking, and seeing the Stars in Los Angeles

This week I wanted to talk about some of my favorite things to do in Los Angeles! Of course, there are a bunch of things to do, but I really enjoy going to museums and on hikes!

When it comes to museums, my favorite has to be the Getty Center. It’s one of the most beautiful places in Los Angeles, nestled on a mountainside near Santa Monica. They have free admission, so it’s a great time at a low cost (perfect for college students!). I’ve now been there on three separate occasions, one of which was their College Night last year with Ellen, Betty, and Hannah, but they also have special exhibits throughout the year that are great to check out.

Other great museums to check out are the Getty Villa, (the Getty’s cousin in Malibu) which details ancient Roman and Greek art and architecture, LACMA, where you can see the famous Urban Lights display,and of course the California Science Center and the Natural History Museum which are both located directly across from USC!

If that’s not enough to keep you busy, I always enjoy going for hikes in the surrounding area (or jogging along Santa Monica and Venice beach). Probably my favorite is Escondido falls, which is near Malibu but a great quick hike that culminates in a waterfall. It’s got some great rope climbing spots which make for a little more challenging (and therefore rewarding) to get to the end.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can easily go out to Joshua Tree (about a two hour drive) and hike out there or go “bouldering”. A friend of mine introduced me to climbing in what he calls “Rocktober” when we went out to Joshua tree last month. Definitely recommend it, although my climbing skills are *ahem* not exactly on point.